The Sensitive and Neurodivergent Podcast with Julie Bjelland

Conscious living means paying attention to what supports our mind, body, and soul to help us live fulfilling, healthy lives. As sensitive people, we are exposed to and more affected by stress, environmental concerns, the energy of the people around us, and what we eat! Overwhelm, anxiety, brain fog, low energy and mood, skin problems, pain, chronic health conditions, etc., can all improve when we make conscious choices about what is right for us and what isn’t. Sometimes that means we do things out of the box, too, and we want to encourage and support you to pave your own path that works for you. Mind Manage stress, set boundaries, and live consciously. What supports you and what doesn’t? Lowering your stress will have a significant impact on your health. Body Food is medicine, and it’s even more true for HSPs! What we put in our body, what is absorbed in our skin (the largest organ), and what we are exposed to daily in our environment can all significantly impact our health and well-being. Are you eating whole, healthy foods?  Processed foods aren’t good for anyone, especially HSPs!  What products are you using on your skin and cleaning with around your home? Are they natural or filled with chemicals that might be hurting you? -Your body gives you cues about your wellness. With increased insula activation, you are even more conscious of how your body reacts.  Pay attention. Slow down and listen. Soul Living in a meaningful way, doing work, hobbies, volunteering, etc. that fulfill you is especially important for HSPs. Spend time every day in nature. It’s a reset button for us and incredibly good for our wellness! Trust your flow and know that what works for you might be different than others. Spend time with nature every day. Take time to yourself every day. Slow down and pay attention. Pay attention, be conscious, and be intentional. When you eat something, how do you feel after? Set boundaries when you are around people that make you feel icky. Is the energy of your home positive or chaotic? Are there things you can do to improve it? Are you overgiving to others and under-giving to yourself? Honor what makes you feel your best. Surround yourself with people who support your well-being We’ve covered so many topics supporting your wellness we encourage you to explore the episodes at HSPpodcast.com and join our Sensitive Empowerment Community and see how good it feels to be surrounded by kind-hearted HSPs living consciously. Recommended Groups to Join in the Community Spiral Up Group- Overcoming Depression: 💗 Healing, Belonging, & Thriving Design Your Life Group- Celebrates conscious living by encouraging you to create a life that lights you up ✨ Every little bit helps. There is no such thing as perfection. Start with areas in your life that feel doable. Working on our inner selves with a guide can be so helpful too. Find an HSP coach, healer, or therapist on our HSP Practitioners Directory. Join our Sensitive Empowerment Community, explore more episodes and resources for highly sensitive people, including the sensitivity quiz, letter to give your medical and mental health providers, an HSP Practitioners Directory, Julie's courses, and more at www.JulieBjelland.com Learn more about Willow's Coaching Program to help you share your gifts with the world.

Thousands of people all over the world manage environmental sensitivities every day. While chemical sensitivity, mold sensitivity, and sensitivity to light and noise are more readily understood and accepted, there is still much-needed change around electrical sensitivity (EHS or sensitivity to EMFs). Environmentally sensitive people typically struggle with having these conversations due to the misperceptions, judgment, and negativity surrounding them. The only way to bring about positive change and remove the stigma often associated with these sensitivities is through open and honest discussion, raising awareness, acceptance, and understanding of the impact environmental exposures have on day-to-day living for those who are sensitive. Andrea Weber shares the importance of discussing environmental sensitivities with family, friends, and colleagues in this informative presentation and how to do this comfortably and confidently. The information shared is based on Andrea’s experience of what has and has not worked as an environmentally sensitive person. Andrea Weber is the founder of Expansive Happiness®, an inspirational site designed to help those with environmental sensitivities lead happy and fulfilling lives through constructive sensitivity management. You can find many more resources on the website, sign up for regular communications, take the free Environmental Sensitivity Quiz and enroll in the Self-Empowered Sensitivity Management Program.

Making decisions as HSPs can be taxing at the best of times. Our ability to process at a deep level means we can end up in an ever-expanding thought cycle. Things can become quite difficult when coupled with the anxiety of a potentially unwanted outcome. With high levels of intuition and the ability to feel deeply, we have a significant advantage in decision-making. When we allow it, there is a strong sense of knowing that is there to guide us on a day-to-day basis. Yet how can we tap into these abilities more consciously and come to rely on them? In this episode, we look at some tried and tested methods that can be valuable tools in this area. Including what it means to support a decision once it has been made. We will also explore the common sensation of expansion and contraction that many of us experience in our bodies when we ask for guidance. We will also look at the differences between thinking and knowing and the profound relationship many HSPs have with the notion of truth. Explore more episodes at HSPpodcast.com Resources Mentioned in Episode Take Julie's Brain Training Course Learn more about Willow's Coaching Program Find more resources for HSPs at JulieBjelland.com

Calling all Empaths!  Do you and your children have difficulty discerning which emotions are yours vs. which belong to other people? As a parent, do you sometimes get overwhelmed or into conflict with your sensitive empathic child when they show intense emotions?  This event includes an overview of the energetic anatomy of empathy and an introduction to three energy healing techniques which may support you and your child in managing emotional input and fostering feelings of calm in your relationship.  There is an experiential component in the last 10 minutes during which you will be guided to use the three tools. Carolina Mariposa, M.S., M.I.M., is a licensed psychotherapist and medical intuitive who specializes in working with highly sensitive children, teens and parents.  She also has the sacred responsibility of being a mother to a strong, sensitive and empathic child.  She is passionate about teaching HSP's to connect with their innate wisdom so that they feel more grounded, joyful, creative and empowered.  While she is endorsed in California as an Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, she loves supporting children of all ages and collaborating with those who see parenthood as an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth. Anyone who signs up for her email list via the Butterfly Grove website receives a link to a free 90-minute webinar: Cornerstones of Sensitive Parenting.  You are also welcome to check out the resources page of the website which is updated weekly with blog posts, videos and guided meditations! https://www.butterflygrovehsp.com/resources Join our next live events in The Sensitive Empowerment Community Explore all HSP resources at JulieBjelland.com

During this self-care practice, Sara gently guides us through a series of at-home rituals and sends us healing reiki to help create a clear and clean energetic line. I encourage you to revisit this whenever life gets overwhelming and you desire peace, calm, and focus. Please add your comments and thank Sara for sharing these beautiful tools with us ❤️ Sara Lopez is an intuitive coach, empath expert, and reiki healer in Vermont, U.S. She is the founder of Empath Magic, a digital community for empaths creating focused transformation. Sara’s experience with chronic pelvic pain and severe anxiety in her 20’s finally led her on a journey to overcome overwhelm from high sensitivity. When she learned about highly sensitive people and empaths, she finally understood herself better and learned to navigate the world in a new way. Her journey led her to teaching in the public schools for 14 years and then to doing an intensive apprenticeship with women’s health experts based in New York City. From there, she coached countless women struggling with pelvic pain.  She found something was missing from the women’s health coaching world: the emotional piece. When she began supporting women to focus on emotional healing, she was amazed to watch them find physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental balance and transformation. Now, she guides empaths to create focused transformation from a place of confidence and calm. She believes empaths are healers of the world’s wounds who deserve to be better understood.  Her work has been published in the Sensitive Empowerment community, Core Spirit, and Period magazine. https://empathmagic.com We warmly invite you to join (or host) our next live events in our Sensitive Empowerment Community

Julie and Willow answer your HSP Questions! How can we stay regulated and balanced while we are feeling deep excitement so we can sleep? Can you speak to how perfectionism keeps us trapped from trying out new things and leading our lives with curiosity? I get severe overwhelm when driving, particularly in busy or unfamiliar areas. Also going to places such as airports. I was wondering what advice you might have for such situations When things get really busy for me I can become very drained and tired. My body can become achy and fatigued and also mentally it's like I have brain fog and can't process quickly or focus, and that leads to making mistakes. I know that it's because we are sensing and taking in so much and that we need to rest and practice self-care at such times. I'm wondering if you have any tips in terms of energy when going through busy times when you can't always practice those self-care tips that help preserve energy. How do/did you establish your boundary around what you share publically about your childhood when it comes to emotional neglect, childhood trauma, and parents? How can you find an HSP psychotherapist? I was wondering if you could share any tips you have to deactivate the flight or flight response when it kicks in. And More Join us live for our next podcast in our Sensitive Empowerment Community, and check out our bios and more episodes at HSPpodcast.com. Explore more resources for HSPs including free classes and our HSP Practitioners Directory at SensitiveConnection.com  

The human mind is wired to look out for us which can often mean thinking worst-case scenarios and a negative view of things. It takes conscious effort to maintain a positive outlook for us all, which of course is not always easy. As HSPs we sometimes have a tendency to turn our powerful cognitive processing ability in on ourselves. When this is coupled with low energy or a pattern of self-doubt and low self-esteem our own minds can quickly become a very difficult place to be. The trouble is, it can be difficult to identify what are just low-frequency thoughts of fear and which are coming from a place of knowing and self-alignment. In this episode, we look at some of the techniques we can use on a daily basis to help maintain a peaceful state of being. Including ways in which we can create peace of mind when our energy is low. We will also look at why we end up in conflict with ourselves when we are simply trying to find a sense of belonging and safety. Links mentioned in the episode Join our next live podcast in the Sensitive Empowerment Community at SensitiveCommunity.com Learn more about Willow's Coaching Program to help you share your gifts with the world. https://www.juliebjelland.com/hsp-blog/making-life-make-sense-again-by-willow-mcintosh Explore all our episodes at HSPpodcast.com Explore all of Julie's HSP resources at SensitiveConnection.com

HSPs high on my Sensitivity Scale tend to absorb the world's pain. Plus life can hit us with a bunch of emotional wounds or hard times all at impacting both our physical and mental health. Examples of Emotional Wounding… Painful world events and images seen on the news Social media, discrimination, hatred… Death or pain of loved ones including animals and even trees. Negative self talk and self-criticism Medical or mental health challenges What helps?  When life stressors knock us down, here are loving ways to support yourself… think about emotional injury as the same as physical injury in the sense that it involves a time of care and nurturing healing. lovingly acknowledge the emotions, check in with your inner child with self-compassion, like how we might respond to children when they need support—loving, caring, gentle, patient, compassionate. remind yourself that the intensity of the feeling is temporary and won't feel this way forever. accept yourself as a deep feeler, think of the ebb and flow of nature, and accept your flow. stop your to-do list and focus instead on... "what do I need at this moment." Letting go of some responsibilities allows us to focus on our needs. It's ok to say no or change plans. up your self care and also spend a lot of time in nature, in water or near water, and with trees and quiet places. It's HSP medicine for most everything. slow down, let go, and ask for help if needed, prioritize tending to your wellness. cuddle pets, practice mindfulness, stare at the sky and watch the clouds move slowly, listen to the birds, observe tiny plants, leaves, blooms, make time to see the sunrise and sunset. The little things fill up our positivity tank to support the extra stressors. journal to reflect and process, weighted blankets, herbal teas, cuddling pets focus on the basics when exhausted…hydrating, making sure to eat something healthy, take baths, drink warm tea, lay under a weighted blanket, and allow yourself to just be. be kind and patient with yourself and not add additional pressures or expectations. We can turn to nature to remind us that the season of growth will come again, and it's ok to experience some dormancy and internal time as we work through whatever we might be experiencing. Limit news watching and balance it with positivity fill-ups (8 positives to neutralize 1 negative) Put action into helping and look for the helpers doing amazing things from their heart communities and podcasts like this one! connection to kind-hearted HSPs (join our live podcast episodes, events, and monthly Meet and Greets) more tools and support means you’ll be more resilient and balanced, learning conscious living choices that work for HSPs. Recommended Resources HSP Practitioners Directory 'Tips & Tools to Thrive' Topic in the community. Brain Training Course and HSP Toolbox Course Find everything at SensitiveConnection.com

Realizing you have environmental sensitivities to things like chemicals, EMFs or mold can be overwhelming. Many people don't know much about these sensitivities, what to do, where to go for help or how to explain what's happening and this can lead to additional stress and emotional burden on top of what is already being experienced with physical symptoms. This insightful presentation will cover the following: - Self-compassion through initial overwhelm - Gaining perspective and the next steps to take - Finding a medical practitioner who can help - Immediate interventions to reduce exposures - Working through tools for relief and wellbeing - Planning ahead to minimize triggers - Thinking about the future in terms of home/work environments Discovering you have an environmental sensitivity can be an overwhelming and isolating experience with so many questions, emotions, and decisions to make. In this informative presentation, Andrea shares how to navigate your way through this and provides a practical roadmap of important considerations.  It's empowering and reassuring to know that there are things you can do to make a difference and that help and support are available. Find out more about the valuable work Andrea is doing to help environmentally sensitive people by visiting expansivehappiness.com You can take the free Environmental Sensitivity Quiz and explore the Self-empowered Sensitivity Management Program. You'll also receive the "Top Ten Tips to Managing an Environmental Sensitivity" when you sign up for regular communications. ----- See Andrea's previous episode: Episode 137: Keys to Managing Environmental Sensitivity with Andrea Weber Join us for Q & A with Andrea in our Sensitive Empowerment Community (SEC). Plus explore more episodes on The HSP Podcast at HSPpodcast.com

We often hear how important it is that we believe in ourselves, yet what if we are struggling to make something happen? It is all too easy to slip into self-doubt and a spiral of negative beliefs. One of the greatest resources we have as HSPs is our commitment to our growth and development. Also, our tenacity to pursue our personal evolution and what is most important to us in the world. When it comes to believing and trusting ourselves there are some very useful tools and techniques we can use that help us to access this in any and all circumstances. For instance, when we allow ourselves to look back over our lives we will see that have evolved and we have grown through many challenges. There is a great deal of evidence of us finding a way and being successful. Even if those examples may not be to the degree we wanted, the evidence is there nonetheless. In this episode, we take a look at why it is important not to be over-critical when we are in transition or doing our best to achieve something important. Instead by recognizing the deeper truth of our ability we can access and develop a reliable source of trust and belief in ourselves. Read Willow's Blog Post: How to Reveal Your Innate Expertise as an HSP Join the Sensitive Empowerment Community Find an HSP Therapist, Healer, Coach on our HSP Practitioners Directory